Surname Tatam - Meaning and Origin

Tatam: What does the surname Tatam mean?

The surname Tatam is of English origin and it is believed to be geographical and habitational, derived from any one of the places named Tatham in England, such as in Lancashire or West Riding of Yorkshire. The name Tatham itself comes from Old English "tath" meaning manure or dung and "ham" meaning farm, estate, or homestead, hence it could mean "homestead with a manure heap" or "dung farm". This shows it was likely to be given to those who managed or worked farmland where manure was produced or used. Surnames during ancient times were often linked to the occupation, geographical location, or characteristics of the person. Like many surnames, over centuries, the spelling of the surname may have evolved or changed due to regional dialects and phonetic spelling, leading to variations such as Tatham, Tathem, Tatam, and others.

Tatam: Where does the name Tatam come from?

The last name Tatam is primarily found in countries across the Caribbean. Specifically, the last name is prominent in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago. In Jamaica, individuals with the surname Tatam mainly live in the parishes of St. Catherine, Westmoreland, and St. Ann. Additionally, a few people with the last name Tatam can be found throughout St. Mary and Kingston. In the Dominican Republic, Tatam is a relatively common name, particularly in the cities of Santo Domingo and Santiago.

In Trinidad and Tobago, individuals with the Tatam surname are primarily found in the city of Port of Spain. Here, many descendants of enslaved laborers (and their masters) were born with the Tatam last name and this is evidenced in the major genealogical records. There is a distinct and long history associated with the Tatam name in the Caribbean – many individuals bear the last name leading historians to believe it is of African and Ido-Portuguese origin.

Today, the Tatam surname is still strong and is widely known throughout the Caribbean. The reliability of records over the past few centuries shows that numerous families still bear the surname and continue to share the political, economic and spiritual inheritance of their ancestors.

Variations of the surname Tatam

The surname Tatam is of English origin. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English elements “taet” (teat) and “ham” (homestead), and thus probably signified someone who lived by a watering-place or dairy-farm. Variations of the surname Tatam include Tatam, Tatem, Tatom, Tatum, Tathom, and Tathem; the Welsh variant of Tatam is Tasker.

In the modern era, the Tatam surname has spread to numerous countries outside of its origins in England. Variations of Tatam are found in the United States (where it is also spoken as Tatem), Canada, India, and other parts of the world. In India, Tatam is most commonly found in the state of Kerala, though it is also common in the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Alternate spellings of the surname Tatam include Tatem, Tathem, Tateme, and Tatome. Variations of Tatam that sound similar may also be spoken as “Tater”; a variant of Tatam which is found in southern India is “Tatamu”.

The most common variant of the Tatam surname is Tatem, which is found in the US and Canada. Other variants of Tatam in the US include Tathem, Tateme, and Tatume. It is also sometimes found spelled as Tatum andis found in the US, Canada, India, and other parts of the world.

The Tatam surname has numerous variant spellings and associated surnames, so researching its history is not always a straightforward task. However, Tatam is still a relatively uncommon surname, and it is likely that all variations of the surname share a common origin in England.

Famous people with the name Tatam

• Zach Tatam: English professional darts player
• Katrina Tatam: Australian Paralympic snow skier
• Kit Tatam: is a digital media artist whose focus on technology and interactive art has been central to his practice
• Neville Tatam: is a professional luchador, or Mexican professional wrestler, working for Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL)
• James Tatam: a British former professional footballer
• Arlo Tatam: a former NFL player
• Maximo Tatam: a Brazilian actor and film producer
• Connie Tatam: a member of the Governing Council of the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
• Ashley Tatam: a professional rugby league footballer who plays outside back for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the NRL
• Jessica Tatam: a contemporary figurative painter based in London

Other surnames

Tatarka